Timer



:Jan: 29

W. A. ASHLEY TIMER Filed April 29 INVENTOR Wa/ier A. Ash/ ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TIMER.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial No. 557,495.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, WALTER ALEXANDER ASHLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Liverpool, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to timer or distributor attachments for automobiles.

Briefly stated, an important object of this invention is to provide a timer attachment which is not likely to be short circuited as a result of resting in the oil from the engine. Further the invention aims to provide an attachment for timers which may be readily and conveniently applied to a Ford engine without in any way altering the construction of the same and without the exercise of unusual skill.

Further the improved timer is of highly simplified construction, reliable in use and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application .and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the timer attachment applied, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the attachment applied to the shell of a commutator.

Figure 3 is a perspective of one of the contacts embodied in the invention.

In the drawing wherein for the pm'pose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an internal combustion engine having a timer which consists partly of a shell 6 which encircles the usual roller, not shown,

and the said shell is provided with an upwardly directed arm 7 to which a control rod 8 is connected. As is well known, the rod 8 may be moved longitudinally for the purpose of rocking the shell 6 and thereby either retarding or advancing the spark.

The ordinary wires which lead to the shell 6 frequently become coated with oil and in some cases the insulation is worn oil so that the ignition system is short circuited and by the use of this invention this short circuiting of the ignition system is overcome.

In carrying out the invention, I provid an insulating block of elongated formation and the said block which is designated by the numeral 10 is formed with a threaded socket 11 for the reception of the threaded lower end of a hanger rod 12. The upper end of the hanger rod 12 is provided with a hook 13 which overhangs a bolt 14 and is securely engaged by the head of the same. lVith the hook 13 thus securely engaged by the head of the bolt 14, the insulating block 10 is securely and positively held in a horizontal position as illustrated in Figure 1.

The elongated block 10 is )rovided with a series of spaced parallel longitudinally extending spring contacts 16 yond one end of the insulating block and formed with arcuate contact portions 18. Those contact portions 18 which are arranged beneath the shell and those contact portions which are arranged above the shell are arranged in the arc of the same circle and are formed with arcuate slots 19 for the reception of the binding posts 20. The contact portions which engage the upper binding posts 20 are offset as indicated at 22 so that the slotted portions of the contacts are arranged in the arc of the same circle with the lower contacts.

It will be observed that the binding posts 20 are freely received in the arcuate slots 18 so that the shell may freely rotate and the binding posts 20 will remain in electrical contact with the members 18. The block is provided with one or more connecting bolts 25 of insulating material to pass through the attaching portions of the contacts 16.

In carrying out the invention a plurality of contact screws are threaded into the upper side of the block 10 and are engaged with the strips 16 whereby to establish electrical contact with the same. The upper portions of the binding screws 30 may be formed with openings for the reception of the conductor wires 31 and binding nuts 32 are threaded on the screws 30 for engagement with the terminal portions of the wires 31.- As the posts or screws 30 extends out through the upper side of the block 10 the wires 31 and the nuts 32 are not likely to become ladened with oil and further the possibility of the insulation wearing from the wire is very slight.

With reference to the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that the extended be-' attachment may be readily and easily applied to an internal combustion engine without in any way altering the construction of the engine or without interference with'the zone of action of the arm 7. Attention is directed to Figure 2 wherein it is shown that the arcuate portions 18 of the contacts 16 are substantially less in diameter than the width of the shell and therefore do not project beyond the shell and interfere with the operation of the engine.

The contacts 16 are all preferably of spring metal so that the slotted end portions of the same will bear firmly into engagement with the nuts e0 carried by the binding posts 20 whereby a good electrical connection is established between the contacts and the binding posts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. An attachment for timers comprising an insulating block, a plurality of lengths of spring metal having attaching portions embedded in said block and having exposed arcuate portions adapted to. surround the shell of a comn'iutator, the exposed arcuate portions'of said length of spring metal being formed with arcuate slots to freely receive the binding posts of the shell, certain of the arcuate portions being otiset where by the slotted portions of the contacts are all in the arc of the same circle. a connecting bolt extending through said block and contacts, and binding screws threaded into the top of the block and directly engaging the terminal portions of said length of spring metal to hold the same in position, said binding screws being provided with means whereby conductor wires may be connected thereto.

2. An attachment for timers comprising an insulating block, a plurality of lengths of spring metal having attaching portions embedded in said block and having exposed arcuate portions adapted to surround the shell of a commutator, the exposed arcuan: portions of said length of spring metal being formed with arena-to slots to freely receive" the binding posts of the shell, certain of the arcuate portions being offset whereby the slotted portions of the contacts are, all in the arc of the same circle, a connecting bolt extending through said bloc and contacts binding screws threaded into the top of the block and directly engaging the ten minal portions of said length of spring metal to hold the same in position, said binding screws being provided with means whereby conductor wires may be connected thereto, and a hanger rod threaded into said block and having means whereby the same may be connected to a portion of the engine. g V

WALTER A. A S11E12 if. 

